Ore-separator



3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' A. P. GRANGER.

ORB SBPARATOR.

Patented Jan. 2, 1883.

N. PETERS' Pham-Limogmpm, wamingwn. n. c.

(No Model.)

A0R13 SEPARATOR.

Patented Jan. 2, 18.83.

Illy: 4l,

N venas. mmm-Linmgmpnw. wmzngmn. D. c.

A. Pl GRA-NGBR. 3 Sheets-Sh-eet 3.

tTsD STATES PATENT trice,

ALV 1 eaANcEn, or DENVER, COLORADO.

ORE-S'EPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,848, dated January 2, 1863,

To all 'whom Iit may concern Beit known that I, ALVAN l. GRANGER, of the city ofDenver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Separators; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereot, reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form apartot' this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for dryore separation, and hasfor its object to achieve the largest practicable saving ot' mineral and at the same time to effect a very perfect separation ofthe mineral from thegangue.

To this end the invention consists in the features ot' construction and operation hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out inthe claims.

Machines for dry -ore separation are constructed to operate by several dissimilarmodes. By one class of machines the mass of mineral or mineral-bearing substance and gangue in crushed form is let fall into or through a current ot' air intended to be so adjusted as to carry off the gangue, which is relatively light, but to allow the mineral, which is relatively heavy, to fall through the current byits superior gravity. In another class ot' machines lthe mass is sustained upon a perforated plate or screen, upward through which a current of air is forced while the screen is being shaken, with a view to lift and bear away the lighter parts ofthe mass or gaugue, and to leave the heavier parts or mineral. Both these classes ot' machines lneasurably fail to rescue certain valuable parts of the mineral, which, by reasonof the flaky form ot' their particles or from other conditions, will be carried o' by any air-current to which they may be exposed and which is strong enough to remove the gangue. In short, it' the aircurrentbemade strong enough to effect a practical separation, mineral is wasted, while, on the other hand, if the aircurrent be made weak enough to save this mineral it will be too weak to produce a satisfactory and practical separation. In the machines referred to the fault is that the mineral is exposed to the same air-current as the gangue and either loss of mineral or imperfect separation is, in the nature of the case, inevitable. By the machine herein described only the Application .tiled March 8, 188:2. (No model.)

l gangueis exposed to the air-curren t, which, ob-

viously, to the extent that thisis accom plished7 insures, first, the removal of the gangue, and, second, the retention of the mineral. For this purpose the mineral and Vthe gan'gue are sustained upon an impreforate surface, and while thus sustained are agitatedfso thatthe mineral or mineral-bearingsubstance or base by,

tion or stratilication ot' the parts is first effected, after which the complete separation is produced by a superficial air-current which removes the gangue. This will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine shown to have three similar sections, ot' which, however, in a working machine there are usually eight. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section of the machine. Fig. 3.is al transverse vertical section through one ofthe precipitators. Fig. 4is atop view. Fig. 5 is a top view ol' a fragment ot' one of the boards or plates upon which the mineral is agitated for the preliminary separation, mentioned and called the precipitator.7 Fig. 6 is a vertical sect-ion ot' the precipitator.

A A A2 represent the frame ot' the machine.

B is a housing, which incluses the sides and the ends, being the converging bottom o t said housing in the form ot a hopper running lengthwise of the machine.

C is a suction-fan connected by aline, C', to take from the interior of the machine, and located at one end thereof.

D D D are the precipitators, arranged to form the top of the inclosure and in the inclined position shown.

E E E are hoppers arranged severally' at the higher ends of the precipitators, for the purpose of feeding material to be separated IOO haine, and provided with eccentrics of small throw, from which, hy the pitineu G', the precipitators D are rapidly shaken.

I1 is a driving-shaft provided with suitable pulleys, by which and the connecting-belts C and Gr2 the fan C and shaft G are respectively driven.

I is a conveyer located in the trouglrsliaped bottoni of the machine, for carrying ott' the gangue which settles therein after being d ra w n through the apertures d2.

J represents a tube or box, which may also be provided with a conveyer for the discharge ot' the separated mineral.

The machine will usually be suimounted by apparatus for sizing and drying the crushed ore preparatory toits being` fed to the machine; but as such apparatus forms no part of the present invention, it is not here shown. It is suticient to say that the several sectionsof the machine are adapted, as will be explained, for the separation of as many different sizings7 of crushed ore, and that any suitable means maybeemployed for the delivery of the proper siziiigs to the several lioppers E E.

The precipitators D are of peculiar construction. As here shown they aie of wood, having relatively broad and shallow diagonal grooves or furrows (l running in the directions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and intersecting each other to form intermediate diainond-sliaped elevations, d. Said grooves are preferably rounded out, or, in other words, are party-cyliiidric, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. Except for a short distance from the hopper, the elevations d are each provided witlia hole, d2, extending through the board, and therefore giving communication with the interior of the machine, so that thefan @,wlien at work,will induce a current downward through each of said holes,which are the only passages specially provided forits admission. rlhe precipitators, be ing intended to he laterally shaken,are supported at each side by fiexible metal strips D', attached to the uprights A of the frame, so as to work free of the housing B and ot' the side pieces,F, though in proximity to both. At the npper end the precipitator is provided with the vertical metal tlaiige d, which, as seen in Fig. i?, sets up behind a depending metal strip, e, on the hopper to prevent crush matter77 from passing over the end ofthe precipitator. At its lower vend the precipitator overhangs a spout, D2, which runs to a point, as shown in Fig. 3. and delivers through a pipe, J', into the conveyerbox J, or otherwise, as may be desiied.

The hopperE rests very close to the precipitator, as indicated in Fig. 2, allowing only such quantity of crush to pass to the precipitator as will be easily contained in the fui-rows d. This effect may also be obtained by allowing the upper edge of the wind-board or cover F to rest upon the precipitator, or, better, by providing a tlaiige,e, on the hopper which touches the precipitator. Such a iiange or metal strip, e', is shown in Fig. 2, as also forming a support for the upper edge of the cover Ii. Said cover extends from `one side piece F to the other, and terminates at its free edge over the foot ofthe precipitator, as seen iti Fig. 2. A transverse vertical partition, B2, being provided between adjacent pi'eeipitators, air is admitted to the precipitator only at the free edge ot' the cover F, as also shown in Fig. 2. This end of the cover is adapted to be raised and lowered by any means suitable for the purpose, the device sliown being a cord, f, attached to the cover and also to a roller or shaft, F2, which may be held by a common ratchet and pawl, or by friction with its bearings. I prefer to make the cover F of glass, so as to allow the operation of separation going forward on the precipitator to he constantly observed and the needed adjustments to be made accordingly.

The several sections of the machine differ only in the dimensions ofthe furrows (l ot' the diainoiid-sliaped prominence's d and ofthe ap ertui'es d2 of the precipitators, all of which are larger in those near the fan and gradually diminish toward theopposite end of the machine. The coarser crush is fed to the moi'e coarselygrooved prt'ecipitators, which also are subject to the stronger drafts by reason of their closer relation to the fan, which obviously draws with greater force through the precipitators nearer thereto.

In a working-machine, the precipitators are preferably driven at a high speed-say eight hundred or one thousand double strokes per minuteand the throw is, on the other hand, preferably slight, or, say, about three thirtyseconds of an inch.

In the operation of the machine, crnsli matter being fed to the precipitator trom the hopper in limited quantity, as stated, said matter is carried slowly down the furrows of the rapidly-shaken board D iii intersecting streams. In its progress the mineral at once begins to find its place in the mass, determined by its gravity, or, in other words, settles to or toward the bottom ot' the mass, while the gangue or refuse correspondingly rises to the top. By the time the lirst transverse series of holes d2 is rearhed-say two to four inches from the hopper-the mineral has disappeared from the surface, which is covered with the lighter portions ot' the gangue. Here a relatively light current of air is encountered, which catches up the supeicial gangue and sweeps it off the surface of the mass and downward through the adjacent apertures d2. In the further progress of the crush down the furrows of the precipitator the mineral more and more conipletely occupies the bottoms ot' the furrows, andthe heavier' gaiigueis all gradually brought to the top. Uorrespondingly stronger air-currents, sweeping upward along the surface of the precipitator, are met at each transverse series of apertures d2, adequate to the removal Aot' such gangue, in the manner described, as

may at these points be exposed thereto, until when the foot ot' the precipitator is reached the gangue is practically all removed and the IIO IIS

Q69., 84S a mineral practically all preserved. It is particularly evident that the finer particles of mineral will have been saved, because, being smaller, they settle through the interstices of the larger particles of the same substance and are thereby shielded from the current, which near the foot of the precipitator may be strong enough to carry oft' coarse gangue of relatively high specific gravity. The removal of the superficial particles is of course facilitated by the greater motion imparted to them by the agitation of the precipitator, the lower portions of the mass being confined more or less by the superposed parts thereof.

The desired force ot" the| air-current upward along the face ot the precipitator is obtained by adjustment of the wind-board F-that is, by raising or lowering the free edge thereof, as stated. By making said board of glass the action upon the precipitator may be constantly or frequently observed, and the board raised or lowered, as required.

The diagonal courses of the t'nrrows d, as shown, and by which the streams of crush are made to intersect, are found to be desirable in order to prevent the mass from packing, as it tends to do unless broken or interrupted.

It will be observed that the crush matter is strictlyr separated by agitation, whereby the superior gravity of the mineral may find 0pportunity to assert itself, and that the action of the air-current is subsequent to such separation, and is for the exclusive purpose of bearing away the so separated gangue. For practical purposes, however, the separation is not complete until the gangueis removed and the mineral or base obtained in a separate and distinct body. It will also be observed that the apertures d2 are not in the surfaces which uphold the crush matter, the latter being contined to the t'urrows d, which are imperforate.

The air-currents along the upper portions of the precipitator have been spoken of as less strong than those along the lower portions. It may not be necessary to explain that this is because the latter portions are nearer the point at which the air is admitted to the precipitator over the lower edge of the board F, and that the lower holes d2 may therefore take the air to their full capacity, while the upper holes receive only such quantity as may be left for them.

While the preeipitators have been described as of wood, they may, ifpreferred, be of metal, and, if ot' sheet metal, the elevations d may be produced in the act of punching the holes d2.

In the general organization ofthe machine Ido not restrict myself to the precise construction shown. The conveyers may, for eX- ample, be dispensed with. It is even practicable, probahly, to dispense with the apertures d2 in the precipitator by providing apertured tubes supported just above and near the sur-4 face ofthe precipitator, by which a current of air along its surface may be maintained; but, as at present advised, the construction shown is far preferable. So, also, the requisite agitation may probably be effected by means for stirring the mass of mineral and gangue on a plane imperforate and stationary surface, but manifestly with less advantage than by the method described.

I claim as my invention- Y l. In a machine for separating dry-crushed ore, the precipitator D, provided with furrows d, and intermediate elevations, d', having apertures d2, combined with suitable means for producing a current of air along the surface of the precipitator and downward through the holes d2, and with suitable means for shaking the precipitator, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for separating dry-crushed ores, the combination ofthe precipitator D, having impertorate fnrrows d, and intermediate apertured elevations, d', a fan, U, and an adjustable detlecting-board, F, together with suitable housing for confining and directing the air-current produced by the fan, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a machine for separating dry-crushed ore, the combination of a vibrating, inclined precipitator, D, provided with intersecting iurrows d and intervening elevations d', having apertures d2, means for feeding the crush at the upper end of the precipitator into the grooves d, and means for producing currents of air upward over the surface of the precipitator and downward through the apertures d2, which currents are stronger through the lower apertures and weaker 'through the upper ones, whereby the lighter gangue rst exposed on the surface ot' the crush, is irst removed by the lighter air-current and the heavier gangue subsequently brought to the surface is afterward removed by the stronger currents, substantially as described.

In'testimony that l claim the foregoing as my invention I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVAN P. GRANGER.

Witnesses:

. M. E. DAYTON,

W. C. ADAMS.

IOO 

